Message Boards

Topic : 12/19 Beyond the Front Lines

Number of Replies: 399

New Messages This Week: 0

Last Reply On:

Created on : Thursday, December 11, 2008, 02:55:31 pm

Author : DrPhilBoard1

Military men and women are true American heroes who spill their blood fighting for our freedoms. But are we doing all we can as a nation to honor our contract with these warriors? When a soldier survives war, oftentimes he/she comes home and to face a different battle. Dr. Phil's guests are vets who say they've returned from the front lines only to fight a medical system bureaucracy that is failing them. Randy was severely injured during an ambush while deployed in Iraq. His mother, Tammy, says the military lied to him, and used him, and that Randy was eventually lost in the system. She says getting any help from Veterans Affairs is a struggle with minimal results. Dr. Phil introduces this wounded warrior to two special people who want to make his life better. Next, Jerry says he got a "raw deal" when he returned from Iraq, and he's struggling with what he believes to be Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). His wife says Jerry is angry and violent, and she's afraid of him. You won't believe what they say Veterans Affairs advised Jerry to do to cope with his suicidal thoughts. Chairman of the House Committee on Veteran's Affairs, Congressman Bob Filner, and FOX News military analyst Colonel David Hunt passionately share their opinions about health care for veterans. Then, Kevin and Joyce say their son came home from Iraq a changed man. They say they tried to get him help for what they believed was severe PTSD, but it didn't come in time. And, Tammy Duckworth, Director of the Illinois Department of Veteran Affairs and Paul Rieckhoff, Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, weigh in on the cases. If you're an American, this is your call to arms to step up and help turn things around for the men and women in uniform. Join the discussion.

As of January, 2009, this message board will become "Read Only" and will be closed to further posting. Please join the NEW Dr. Phil Community to continue your discussions, personalize your message board experience, start a blog and meet new friends.

I agree

I am a viet nam vet and as far back as I can remember, there has always been a problem with the way some of the public has reacted to returning service personnel. The Viet Nam war was the worse for vets and yet to this day they are still being treated unfairly. I feel so for those who come back from overseas and are being led on a wild goose chase. Please tell these service personnel to contact their local American Legion, Disabled Vets, Veterans of Foreign Wars and join. These organizations fight for our vets and are constantly trying to work with legislature to get things done. It is bad enough that our service personnel are over there and defending our country and then coming back here to be treated with disrespect by not getting the help that is needed for them.

Beyond the front lines

My son was in the Oregon National Guard and now has PTSD. He was in Iraq for a year. I do have to say they have done really good with him getting on meds to control the out bursts. He has only had a couple out burst since being on the meds., in about a year and a half. Debbie

Professional Betrayal

Dear Fellow Readers:Thank you for reading my message board posting.

Two unresolved issue are facing our soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen/women: (1) attorneys and (2) Psychologists/Psychiatrists. Issue one references the unethical legal attack methodology that is used by our legal profession against many who have served in combat, regardless of the war. The legal attack method is to allege that those who have served are 'trained killers'. The 'trained killer' are bad. Therefore, they are guilty. This guilt is built into the thesis, that the jury will view the 'defendant' as a 'trained killer', i.e., a bad person. Therefore, he/she are guilty. Obviously, this is a reflection on the emotional issues as opposed to a factual issues. We are seeing the falsification of complaints in divorce cases that have alleged that our soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen/women, because they have served, are therefore violent and have committed violent acts. Evidential investigations are providing that this falsification is becoming more prevalent. Issue two references the unethical psychological/psychiatric methodology of the inappropriate classification and diagnosis of PTSD. Again, through evidential investigations, these classification and diagnosis are beginning to invalidate the alleged findings. For example, someone who is not in combat, but in a support position, such as 'supply logistics' away from all forms of combat, located on a base, not in contact with others who are in combat, and have shown absolutely no prior or present characteristics of PTSD are being examined, interviewed, and suggestively concluded that they may have PTSD. Wherefore, a word of warning to the soldiers, marines, sailors, airmen/women; many of the inexperienced and possibly unethical professionals as stipulated are using your service to your nation as their newest weapon against you. This is not to scare you, but to allow you to see past the certification and license on their wall in their office.

Military

I am married to a retired military man, our son is military, as well as extended family members on both sides and our friends. I just don't think the military is doing enough to help these service members when they return home from war ----- medically, emotionally or physchologically. I've met a lot of young wives who just don't know how to cope with the solder that returned to her. There should be help for spouses to cope also. These men and women need all the support they can get, family, friends, and communities.

Son -in-law also

My son-in-law was in the Army for 8 years. In that time he served in Afghanistan. While there his nerve ending in his left arm surfaced. My daughter and him married on July 9, 2005 and on July 29 he had surgery to reposition the nerve endings. It didn't work, couldn't lift, etc. The Army wanted him in battle, the aftermath, he took medical discharge. Had to have another surgery on his arm this past year. As for money, the Army and the VA has really let him down. We have asked the kids to get in touch with a congressman or something. His records at Ft Campbell is not for VA viewing and his records is getting lost.

Can't wait to see the show to see if something can happen to help our daughter and son-in-law. They are drowning in debt.

VA not renewing Rx

I am a Korean war veteran and have been on a medication for over 15years, which has been working very well during this time, now the VA wants to give me a cheaper medication which was prov-en not to work with me before I was given my present medication, this was done through their doctors 15 years ago.It seems to me they need to a better job in fulfilling their commitment, to us vets like they promised us.Peter

If you speak English, thank a Vet

My husband is a Viet Nam Vet with PTSD, He is receiving non-service connected. He filed for service-connected disability repeatedly. He filed four years ago, but his records were lost, it took them 2 years to find them this time. We were able to get a copy of his claims file, after waiting 2 years, and the errors are numerous. We started a new claim a year ago, and they have lost the claim 4 times so far. About a month ago I got a letter saying he was dead and I had to pay back $3700! Thats only latest in the INTENTIONAL idiocy of the VA. We ARE working with the American Legion, but they can't control the (intentional) misplacement of the records, and the (intentional) incompetence. Maybe they are waiting for him to die so they can deny his claim? I'd be willing to bet New York isn't the only VA that has shredded records and changed dates on files.

PTSD hit our family with a murder/suicide

My husband's cousin murdered his father and then killed himself on Dec. 7th 2005 in Santa Barbara, CA.

We were left to bury them and the family had to deal with the aftermath. Jeff was a marine and served in Afghanistan at the beginning of the War on Terror and suffered from severe PTSD. Jeff's story was written about in the LA Times on Feb. 12th, 2006. Since that time we talked to Jeff's VA counselor, vets, VA Adm personnel and met with Shelley Berkley, Cong. Rep from Nevada on the VA committee. We came up with a list of things we believe would move the VA and Military toward being able to provide our men and women with the help they need. Help their families and loved ones need as well. The wheels in Washington are moving far too slowly in this matter. If the people that are going to be on the show Friday can use us in anyway to move the process forward faster or at all. We would love to help. This subject is very important to us.